Golf bag hood apparatus



May 8, 1934. CHAPMAN GOLF BAG noon-APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1932 I I I I I I I I I I I a I I I I I I I I I Patented May 8, 1934 GOLF BAG HOOD APPARATUS Gordon Chapman, Liverpool, England Application January 11, 1932, Serial No. 586,036 I In Great Britain November 10, 1931 6 Claims. (Cl. 150-15) This invention has reference to hood apparatus for use in connection with golf clubs and golf club bags.

It is well known to golfers that varnished and 6 polished wooden golf clubs when carried in the ordinary golf club bag in conjunction with other metal headed clubs, become damaged or scratched by rubbing and knocking against the heads or metal parts of these clubs, and the object and 10 efiect of this invention is to provide a protective apparatus by which this damage is avoided, and at the same time to provide a waterproof protector.

The apparatus according to the invention is adapted to be attached to the golf bag, and carried by it, as by means of a readily detachable spring hook, or short straps or the like; and it consists, firstly, of a hood proper open at one end, adapted to be attached to a golf club bag; and secondly, of such a hood or hoods and an elastic connecting means between the hoods and the golf bag attaching device, and so arranged that when a golf club head is enclosed in a hood, the elastic connecting means enables the hood to be easily taken off the club head, so that it is free and can be taken from the bag; and the hood will then hang loosely by its mooring on the outside of the bag; and, conversely, after a club has been used and replaced in the bag, the hood can so be taken by the hand and lifted above and parallel with the head-the elastic connection enabling it to be so lifted above the head-and then placed over the club head and encloseit; and this can be very easily and quickly performed.

5 In this condition the hood will be retained in position by the elastic connecting or mooring means.

With regard to the hoods themselves, these can be made of textile waterproof material of suitable strength, such as that used for mackin toshes, lined inside with a soft material; and being so made that they are enabled to be easily slid on and ed in play.

The lower edge or rim of the hood is tubularmade say by sewingand has in it an elastic band which contracts the mouth; and the elastic mouth so formed is stretched when the hood is being pulled over and enclosing the club head, and when released from the club the mouth will immediately closeagain.

To the base or( mouth of the hood 2. rustless metal ring or the like is attached by sewing or otherwise, and to this ring the upper end of the elastic connecting or mooring means is attached; and the lower end of the elastic connecting means is adapted to be secured to a metal ring on the golf bag or other suitable device by means of a swivel or other suitable hook or the like.

Usually two of the hoods will be provided for use in connection with the three wood headed 50 clubs commonly used; and they can all be carrled from one metal ring or spring hook, each hood having attached to it an elastic connecting or mooring means, and separately operable; but any number of hoods may be used as may be desired, converging to and attached by split rings or the like.

If a hood becomes moist inside it can be easily turned inside out for drying.

The hood apparatus being attached to the bag the hoods cannot be dropped or lost; and while this is so, they are nevertheless very easily and quickly handled, and being attached, they are always ready for use; and also being attached, they cannot drop or become mislaid, while at the same time having no clips or buttons for opening and closing them they can be easily and instantaneously pulled on and off when in play; and when the hoods are in place, the elastic of the mouth causes it to be pulled around the club so shaft under the head, and keep it closed.

The hood apparatus while thus being securely anchored to the bag when in use, can be quickly detached from it and put inside for travelling or other purposes.

When the hoods are on the clubs the elastic connecting means will be of such a length that the hoods are kept down in position on the clubs.

The invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawing, and will be further described with reference to it. I Referring to the drawing, 1 are the heads of the clubs, and 2 their shafts; 3 is a golf bag of usual form, having a leather or other ring round its mouth.

The apparatus proper comprises a hood or hoods 5, made of any suitable soft or pliable material such as herein described, two hoods being shown in the case illustrated. As shown they are generally of the form of inverted bags with contracted mouths marked 6, the contraction being effected by having round the mouth an elastic band 7, or suitable spring, which may be enclosed between two fabrics of which the hood is made,

i. e. in a tube round it or outside it, as may be desired. While the mouth of the hood is contracted by the elastic the upper part or body of the hood is of sufficient size or perimeter to easily take the head of the club.

The elastic connection or mooring between the no mouths 6 of the hoods, and the mouth of the golf bag 3, or the ring 4 on it, consists in the case shown, of highly flexible coiled springs 8, a split ring 9 on which the lower ends of the springs are threaded, and a spring hook 10 connecting the ring 9 with the bag ring 4; while the upper end of each of the springs 8 is attached to a swivel hook 11 carried on a ring 12, which is attached to a loop 13 on the hood mouth 6.

when the clubs are in the bag, and their heads enclosed or covered by the hoods 5, the springs 8 will be in their relaxed or natural state, but if desired, may be under slight tension, so that the hoods cannot of themselves come off the club heads.

In the act of removing a club, the hood will be lifted up say by the finger and thumb at a point more or less directly above the connecting parts 12, 13, and the spring 8 will be stretched; and then by pulling the hood at a point where the outer end of the club lies, the hood will easily slip over the toe of the club, and thus it is freed, and on this being done, the hood is released, and it falls down and hangs down by its moorings on the side of the bag, and ready for re-use.

When a club is placed back in the bag after use, and it is to becovered by a hood, the then pendent hood will be taken by the hand and lifted up, and the spring stretched so that the hood mouth can be slipped over the outer end of the club and the whole head; and then it is released,

. and the spring 8 will automatically complete the enclosing operation; that is, it will pull the hood down to the position shown in the drawing, and be held in place.

In lieu of the elastic connecting or mooring means being metal springs, they may consist of rubber cords of any suitable good quality, or a plurality of same, either naked or enclosed in textile covering in the form of cable.

In the case where no ring is provided on the golf bag to which the device may be attached, a special clip ring is used which may be fastened round the handle of the golf bag or any convenient place on same, to which the spring hook 10 can be attached.

The particular constructions and arrangement of parts above described in connection with the drawing, is a simple and advantageous one, but the invention is not restricted to that particular construction or arrangement in the drawing; and the different parts may if desired be appropriately modified without departing from the invention. As for instance, if it is not required to have the hoods lined, or made waterproof, they may be a soft material, such as chamois leather or other durable fabric.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for use in connection withgolf clubs and golf bags for preventing golf club heads from becoming scratched or damaged, comprising :1

single head-covering hood open at one end for a golf club head, a member stretchable in the direction of the axis of the golf club bag to which the hood is to be attached and connected to the hood, and an anchoring device connected to the said stretchable member whereby the hood may be attached to the bag and permit the hood moving in relation to the bag while remaining attached thereto.

2. Means for use in connection with golf clubs and golf club bags comprising an auxiliary single head-covering hood having its mouth opening toward the golf club bag, and an elastic connector stretchable in the direction of the axis of the golf club bag to which the hood is to be attached intermediate the mouth of the hood and the bag.

3. Means for use in connection with golf clubs and golf club bags, comprising an auxiliary single head-covering hood for a club having its mouth opening toward the golf club bag, an elastic connector intermediate the mouth of the hood and the bag and stretchable in the direction of the axis of the golf club bag to which the hood is to be attached, and a universal mounting connected to the elastic connector for securing the hood to the bag.

4. Means for use in connection with golf clubs and golf club bags, comprising an auxiliary single head-covering hood for a golf club head having its mouth opening toward the golf club bag, an elastic connector intermediate the mouth of the hood and the bag and stretchable in the direction of the axis of the golf club bag to which the hood is to be attached, a universal mounting connected to the elastic connector for securing the hood to the bag, and resilient means tending to close the mouth of the hood.

5. Means for use in connection with golf clubs and golf club bags, comprising an auxiliary single head-covering hood to receive the head of a club, a swivel link connection attached to the mouth of the hood, a spring hook connection adapted to be secured to the mouth of the golf club bag, and a spring extending between the spring hood and swivel link connection for connecting the hood and the bag.

6. Means for protecting golf clubs from being scratched, comprising a plurality of single headcovering hoods, each hood being open at one end for reception of a golf club head, resilient members stretchable in the direction of the [HHS of the golf club bag to which the hoods are attached, means connecting the hoods to the resilient members, and an anchoring device connected to the resilient members, whereby the hoods may be attached to the bag to permit the hoods moving in relation to the bag while remaining attached thereto.

GORDON CHAPMAN. 

